Alaskan Campaign
The Alaskan Campaign, also known as the Alaskan Front in China, was a major theatre of the Sino-American War where the People's Liberation Army of China invaded the American State of Alaska in the Northwest Commonwealth in late 2066 to secure control over the Alaskan Oil Pipeline during the Resource Wars. The ensuing campaign was the longest of the entire war as the United States of America fought a brutal attritional war against the Chinese to reclaim Alaska and retain its oil reserves, one of the last in the world. By early 2077, the Chinese were forced to retreat and reinforce the mainland, which was being invaded by American forces at this time and was only haulted by giving up Alaska. Background By the start of the Resource Wars in 2052, China was an energy independent nation like the Soviet Union and United States before it and maintained large reserves of oil within its borders and occupied territories in Japan and Indochina. By 2066 however, these reserves began to decline fast and the Chinese were facing a crisis. The United States, having been suffering oil shortages since 2052 and was dealing with riots, food and water shortages and high prices, cut off all oil shipments to other countries and sent American troops to protect the Alaskan Pipeline, one of the last oil reserves left in the world, establishing the Alaskan Frontline. China was divided on how to acquire new oil reserves with the Chinese High Command being split in half between invading Alaska and take the pipeline and the others seeking an invasion of the Soviet Union and steal the oil rich regions of the country. After the Soviet victory during the Sino-Soviet Border War, the Chinese signed a non-agression pact with them and the decision to invade Alaska was taken and carried out in December of 2066 after a large enough force was mobilized to occupy the region. Chinese Invasion Naval Operations The invasion began on December 10th, 2066 when Yangzte-class submarines of the elite Ghost Fleet were sent to attack American patrol ships and warships around Western Alaska in preperation for the invasion. The attacks were successful and a massive bombing run was carried out on American airfields in Western Alaska crippling the air defenses and allowing Chinese Air Forces to dominate the skies before the other American Air Force squadrons from the rest of Alaska could mobilize their fighters to counter the Chinese invasion. The attacks were a shock to the Americans as Chinese spies and hackers infringed on American radar and detection systems allowing for the invasion to be carried out. American frigates clashed with their Chinese counter-parts, but the Chinese naval force was two times the size of the American naval forces and so the latter was forced to retreat and regroup with the rest of the Pacific Naval Army Group in southern Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Chinese Marines and commandos also conducted raiding operations and captured many American vessels, mainly those that weren't sunk or retreating, and within two days, a Chinese blockade had been established. Airborne Invasion After a strong naval blockade was established, the PLA Air Force sent helicopters and large planes carring airborne infantry who began landing en mass across the Alaskan frontier in large numbers. They were given clear objectives, maps, and other resources needed to not get lost and a strong chain of command was also established that helped the Chinese forces land. The PLA's 22nd Air Army and 34th Airborne Army were the ones carrying out the operation and they soon began overruning many Alaskan towns and cities within the western regions. American soldiers, taken by surprise, only offered meger resistance and were quickly overrun and defeated. The 22nd Infantry Regiment of the United States Army and the 48th Armored Division managed to establish a defensive line in the city of Anvik and attempted to make a stand. In the ensuing Battle of Anvik, the American defenders made a desperate defense of the city, but the larger Chinese force managed to encircle the American forces and in ended with over 108,000 American soldiers being taken prisoner. Category:Wars Category:Events Category:Pre-War Wars Category:Battles